Naruto: The Hidden Years
by Chris Oddland
Summary: What happened those years gone from Konoha with Jiraiya? Relive the days of high adventure and peril!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm just a deranged and not to mention lazy meanie using the characters for my own twisted amusement in a fanfiction story.

As a child he discovered the grim secret revealing the truth for being an outcast. Being finally admitted as a genin despite all odds he has braved many perilous adventures and bested many dangers in this strange and savage world. Betrayed by one he considered a rival and friend, he now travels the continent with a new mentor, preparing himself for the dangers to come.

Chris Oddland presents: Naruto: The Hidden Years

Chapter: 1

Where Nightraiders May Roam

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_Somewhere:_

The town was quiet as the night winds roared mildly through the corners and crevices of the many buildings and houses.

If the sleeping citizens had but stared closely at the grey-clouded night sky - they would have seen a peculiar object soaring lightly over them.

The thing was an odd contraption, an aerial vehicle built by knowledge lost long ago: A strangely shaped, rigid balloon with rudders and elevator flaps held afloat by gas lighter than air, speeding through the air by the use of propeller engines. It held aloft a gondola along with a large compartment.

Towards it goal this airship flew - the wealthy town bank.

----------

"This is the place boys!" The leader declared. "Let's see what's inside this overgrown piggy bank!"

The five gathered were coated in standard, black jumpsuits, preparing for the mission at hand.

"Please, don't call us 'boys'! It's bad enough that you're younger than half the group!" The white-haired woman complained as she secured the knot of the headband carrying an unmarked forehead protector plate.

"Philistine!" the young man snorted and continued calmly. "Now we'll do this according to the plan." He pointed at his second in command who was calmly smoking his pipe. "You'll head in first and disable the guards and the alarms." He then turned to look at the rest of the people assembled. "When the go-call comes, we'll come in to make an explosive entrance, and extract our target to the Last Laugh."

"A simple plan for a simple band of rogues," The bald member with an amused smirk.

The leader flashed a minor look of annoyance from his brown eyes. With an indifferent attitude the receiver closed his eyelids over his grey eyes and chuckled lightly. Then he opened them looking at their brown-haired leader and said, "Don't get me wrong, here! I respect you for being the leader and all that. But didn't you forget that our employer gave us the green light for looting this bank as a bonus?"

"I think you should watch your witty tongue, my jesting friend, or else you might end up loosing it." The black-haired team mate beside him mused openly.

"As always your sharp tongue hits the point squarely in the bull's-eye." He replied back at him.

The second-in-command interrupted the two bluntly. "I think you two should cut the comedy 'til this caper's finished." Then strode out of the room sporting a securely strapped backpack on his back.

----------------------

Jumping out of the hatch and plummeting through the air, unfazed by vertigo and fear, the blond man took it in stride as if he was just strolling down a lane.

Pulling swiftly the string as he drew nearer, opening the parachute.

Drawing on the experience of his training, he guided himself to the roof of the bank; landing without any annoyances, he released himself from the parachute, immediately searching thoroughly with a glance from his green eyes if an adversary was there.

Sheathing his black-painted kunai, he then gathered the parachute and stuffed it into a corner.

(This was the easy part - now comes the hard part!) He thought grimly

-------------------

Gaining entry wasn't difficult. The annoying part was to scrape away the hundreds of caltrops littered through the ventilation shafts.

(Probably coated with poison,) He thought, wading carefully knowing that one mishap could spell his end. The thick gloves he had put on served him well as he carefully scooped the spiky objects to make a clear path as he moved slowly.

Halting for a minute in a safe spot he removed his gloves and fished out a small fold-out map.

"Let's see…. Make a turn here and a turn there…. Avoiding tons of poisoned caltrops….. Looking out for pit trap dropping intruders into vat of acid……. Electrified sections…… Walls covered with razors, probably also coated in poison….. Lethal gas trap…… Army of hungry rats….. And then I'm all done!"

-----------------

_Taking care of the sentries was easier than I thought. Nothing special here - just your average day jounin accompanied by two freshman chuunin. I left them alive by the way. Sure they're unconscious and sporting more bruises than most people__ can take, seeing that they put on a good fight even if I had the element of surprise._

_The security was no problem either. Cutting off the alarms and shutting off the surveillance gear's pretty easy if you receive training and listen closely to your teacher. The Jounin looked pretty surprised when the alarm didn't go off when he slammed the button, and found out that he had a glass jaw when on the receiving end of one of my uppercuts._

_Why I left the three alive? Simple they're as good as dead, and they know it._

_So now strolling through the door on the roof, I tuck the guard key into my pocket as a souvenir._

_The Last Laugh's descending now, a rope ladder being thrown out of a hatch._

_I go by my call-sign Paratrooper, by the way. That's because parachute drops, infiltration and sabotage are my speciality. The others are no slowpokes either, then again, I'm the guy who knows how to disable most of the electronic alarm gadgets I've been trained to crack._

_Well the gang's finally assembled. The brown-haired youngster leading this mismatched gang calls himself Boreas, after some foreign wind god._

_The bleach head's Soundwave. She might be a girl, but she's as deadly as they come._

_The bald one and the black-haired guy are Surge and Buzz-Saw, always enjoying a good scrapping and facing certain death encounters in their lives._

_Together we're a force to be reckoned with. A rising scourge who will show the world what we can do._

_We call ourselves the Nightraiders._

-------------------------

"Now it's my turn!" Boreas said and began making intricate hand signs, concentrating his chakra for the task at hand. Sending himself into a blank-eyed trance, he opened his mouth. Mist with exceptional thickness came as smoke from his throat, spreading out as a living organism around the bank premises.

"This'll keep the law in the dark for a while!"

----------------------

"My, my," Soundwave said and whistled in impression. "This vault looks sturdy enough to handle most jutsu attacks without making dents.

"Appearances can be deceiving," Surge answered.

"Bah! Who needs jutsu when science with its cold logic and razor sharp precision can outdo such overrated hocus pocus!" Boreas snarled in irritation.

"As always you put your trust in the power of the human mind and soul over that of the ancient, dark secrets of chakra, leader." Stated Paratrooper.

"Look out!" Soundwave suddenly cried out as cloud of black smoke erupted in front of them.

"Damn! A summoning trap!" Boreas snarled. "Get ready for whatever comes out of that smoke!"

Something shuffled through the smoke, followed by baying croaks and the sound of water splashing for each step it took. A nauseating stench of fish filled the room making the rogues resist the revulsion to retch as the odour crept into their nostrils as if it was some unholy phantasm trying to strangle them with its invisible hands.

The thing slowly strode through the veil of smoky obscuration. It was as if it was madness made flesh into an unholy union between a giant ape and a frog. Its massive scaly green limbs strutting with powerful muscles and veins. Webbed feet and hands brandishing sharp claws dripping with a green vile concoction promising death to anyone touched. It opened its beak, revealing rows of shark-like teeth and a large tongue that secreted more of this alien venom. The most terrible of this were the black pools of inky darkness serving as eyes, showing a sentience so alien that it did not belong in the human world.

It emitted a roar not of this earth, abysmal and strange. A croak that seemed to pierce the very being of the intruders. Alien thoughts and images flowed and flickered through their heads of an age long gone before the dawn of man when these creatures ruled the lands and manlike creatures were their prey and their females used to glut their unholy insatiable lust. They saw great metropolises built and fall to the passages of time. This infernal race driven to the dark corners of the earth by fledgling man in a great war over this world. But some were bound into servitude by the vilest of ancient dark magic lost to this time to chain them to the servitude of man, forcing them to prostrate themselves to the very creatures they hated with all their black hearts.

_Once we were kings - And kings we shall be anew over this planet_

A voice that was not a voice rumbled this through their skulls, furthering the feeling that that which made them human was threatened.

But the fear from these intruders soon turned to hatred, a conviction that this thing must be exterminated from the face of the planet to safeguard mankind.

The beast fell on all fours as if readying itself to strike with a monstrous leap.

Boreas steeled himself and extended his open hands in front of the creature. Two hands with each a large metallic hole set in the middle.

A blast erupted from them, projecting a massive beam of force against it - Sending it with a croaking cry crashing into a brick wall. Parts of the wall gave away, trapping in a large crack.

"Back, you beast! Or I'll send you screaming to the hell that spawned you!" Boreas growled between clenched teeth.

The beast roared in defiance and freed itself from the crack it had and propelled itself with a powerful leap towards the hateful fighter that had done it harm.

"**Zankuha!**"

Another hammer-like blow of air impacted against it with the force of a cannonball, now blowing it straight at the metal vault doors.

A clanging clamour was emitted as the creature made a dent in the metallic doors. The beast recovered quickly, its eyes burning more fiercely with inhuman hatred and gave out a croaking howl that would have chilled the souls of an ordinary man.

A sudden soul piercing chill came from nowhere inside the chamber. The thing just stood there, stooping in front of them and piercing them with its oily black eyes.

It was suddenly as if the world around them became distorted like a dream transmuting itself into a nightmare limbo. The intruders felt as if they had been turned into inanimate stone statues, their limbs unable to move as a physical and spiritual heaviness was thrust upon them by unseen forces. Invisible claws seemed to tear their very souls out of their body and gave them the sinister premonition that their minds were sluggish and drugged by the inhuman eyes of the monster who served as the guardian of the vault.

The living green nightmare slowly pranced towards its paralyzed prey with its eyes carrying on its mental assault. As the thing stood before the white-haired woman who glared hatefully at it in spite of paralysis, she could clearly see what monstrous and degenerate designs she would endure, as the beast made no effort to hide its perverse intentions.

Suddenly as if hatred itself gave her the desperate strength she needed to burst free from her unseen shackles, she raised her right arm, revealing the metal-like object sporting holes on its surface.

"Die! Damn you -**die!**" Soundwave cried out in defiance

Sound itself seemed to bombard the skull of the monster, sending it reeling back from the prey he thought helpless. It gripped its head and began to shriek as if something was covering its brain with barbed wire.

The last minute desperate attack was enough to disperse whatever it was that held them immobile. With a blazing fury they attacked!

Buzz-Saw buried his kunai to its hilt into the breast of it with a reckless charge.

The thing reacted with animal-like reflexes and struck at him with its claws. Buzz-Saw jumped backwards as the beast raked one of his arms.

The sound that was heard as the razor-sharp claws tore through the fabric of the sleeve was not that of flesh being cut. A metallic clang and the scraping of claws on metal was instead what erupted.

With a croak of surprise it jumped backwards. For while it was deprived of hearing, it had felt that its claws met resistance.

"You are going to die for doing that!" growled the black-haired man and proceeded to tear of both the sleeves of his jumpsuit. Arms and hands made of steel instead of flesh were revealed. On the wrists sawblades were mounted that now began to whirl. "I'm going to show you why I'm called Buzz-Saw!"

An instant later it seemed that time stood still as man and beast lunged at one another, as if they were the only living things there. Suddenly the wristblades seemed to extend themselves from their place on the wrists, popping up over his fists as he drove a fist-like blow at the monster.

A shriek of pain and the sight of blood being spilt was what met the audience as the green-scaled thing had one of its arms severed from the elbow!

Surge delivered the coup de grace as he grabbed the thing by its throat and slammed it into a wall.

"I'm Surge-" the bald man growled in sadistic joy, "-And guess what I can do!?"

Electricity seemed to surge through his steel arms, burning away the sleeves that hid them. The final moment of the beast was that of pain it had never felt before as its executioner electrocuted it to death, sending the vile smell of cooking flesh through the chamber.

"What is that thing?" Soundwave said as she looked at the corpse.

"It's a kappa lord," grunted Boreas in disgust, "a thing that should have gone away centuries ago. That they put that thing as a last-effort guardian here shows that what we're after's got to be of vital importance!"

"I'm more curious what that thing did to us?" Paratrooper interjected.

"Mesmerism of the highest order", answered Boreas, "or if I put it in a more crudely fashion: hypnosis."

"hip-no-what?" Soundwave looked quizzical.

"Figures that most ninja don't expand their quest for mental growth other than their primitive, narrow-minded need to look for jutsu and genjutsu scrolls with you being the prime example of the ignorant ninja buffoon."

"Hey! Not everyone's an occultist freak like you, always delving into dark secrets and forbidden sciences and all that garbage!"

"I see myself more as one of the enlightened few in this barbaric age who strives for knowledge in order to obtain ultimate power and create order out of chaos." Their leader said as he delivered the slain creature a vicious kick in the head.

"Just get the dynamite here - on the double!" Boreas ordered.

With sudden professional and methodical precision the group set to work on their task.

Boxes of dynamite lowered by crane from the airship onto the roof were taken and placed onto the vault doors while charges were prepared from above on the roof.

-------------------

"Everything set?"

"Ready to blow, leader. Just give the word and thy will be done." Buzz-Saw said while stooping over the detonator and gripping both end of the detonator plunger with his metal hands.

"Do it," was all Boreas said.

Slamming the plunger down the wired charges of explosives was set off. Two simultaneous thunderous explosions roared. A large hole was blown into the roof while the vaults doors themselves blew off their hinges.

As the smoke cleared Soundwave, Paratrooper and Surge entered the vault.

Inside the three beheld rows of safe deposit boxes along with riches in the form of gold bars and stacks of money bills.

Soundwave whistled in impression. "By the wind dragons! When I agreed on this heist, I never imagined that this backwater dump was loaded."

"The mission comes first," interrupted Paratrooper as he fished out a small piece of paper.

They quickly spread out, inspecting dozens of rows until they found the one deposit box they looked for.

"Allow me!" said Surge as he rammed his metal fingers into the sides of the box, tearing through metal as if it was paper. Without effort he ripped the front off, throwing it away without flinching.

Inside it lay a mere briefcase.

"This is what we came for?!"

"Don't let appearances be deceiving, Surge, it's what's inside that counts." Paratrooper said and grabbed the briefcase. "I'm going ahead. You might as well enjoy the buffet, here and plunder to your black hearts desire."

The grins appearing on the faces of two was the apparent sign of their eagerness to make this worthwhile.

The blond-haired ninja ran out of the vault and made an incredible leap that propelled him through the hole in the roof and landing like a cat onto the roof grounds with the briefcase in hand.

"Get inside, while Buzz-Saw cleans up. I'll stand guard in case trouble comes." Boreas ordered.

Paratrooper saluted and within seconds he was over half-way to the airship, climbing up the rope ladder without seemingly being hampered by holding the briefcase.

"Wires and detonator cleared up, Boreas," Buzz-Saw informed him.

"Good! Get inside the ship and get the crane ready."

"Will do!" said Buzz-Saw and ran to the rope ladder.

Minutes after entering the airship, the anchor holding it fast to the bank roof was raised and the ship began sluggishly to move and then suddenly halt, hovering over the hole blown into the roof.

Within seconds the lower hatch was opened and a crane sped down through the hole. After a little while it was raised back up carrying several money bags almost bursting with money while Soundwave and Surge hung onto the strong ropes tied to the crane to lift the heavy sacks.

"Time to make a clean getaway," Boreas said to himself and rushed to the rope ladder.

Quickly preparations were made and the airship the Last Laugh disappeared into the horizon like a thief in the night.

-------------

Naruto grunted in pain as Jiraiya sidestepped, dodging his stab and hastily grabbing and disarming him and slammed him into the ground and proceeded to twist his arm in a lock. With a snort the legendary assassin kicked away the kunai.

"You're getting better handling that toy, boy." Jiraiya said in minor appraise to his apprentice. "You actually managed to nick my arm this time."

A shadow clone crashed into Jiraiya and slammed a haymaker into his back. The force of the blow forced him to release his grip one the young boy. He turned swiftly around responding with a blow which never struck the Naruto shadow clone as it dissipated into smoke as almost connected his fist to his forehead. A sweeping kick from the far from helpless boy on the ground struck him in the legs, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Ha!" was the exultant cry of Naruto Uzamaki, who rolled away and got swiftly on his feet. "Bet you never saw that one coming!"

"You forget that I'm the master of low-down tricks here, Naruto!" retorted Jiraiya with an amused smirk.

Suddenly a net dropped over Naruto, entangling him the more he struggled.

"Good job, you two!" Jiraiya praised his helpers.

"No problemo!" Gamakichi, the small toad answered. Standing beside him on the tree branch was his little brother Gamatatsu.

"Argh! Wait 'til I get my hands on you two!" Naruto cried out.

Jiraiya produced a kunai and proceeded to cut loose his pouting pupil.

"The lesson for the day Naruto is to never underestimate the little guys unless you want to end up six feet under."

"No fair! You're cheating as usual!" Naruto whined.

"That's why I'm one of the best, kiddo." Jiraiya flashed him one of his smiles.

Little Gamatatsu jumped on Naruto's head. "Sorry about dropping that net on you, Naruto," he began to apologize, "but Jiraiya kind of asked us to help you improve."

"Gee! Thanks!" Naruto huffed, making his whiskers slightly tingle in frustration.

"Gamatatsu," Gamakichi shook his head, "sometimes you're too nice for your own good." He had jumped on Naruto's shoulder after his little brother.

"Why do I have the sudden craving for frog stew?" mumbled Naruto.

"I wouldn't advise that if I were you. Unless you want to end up flat as a pancake after our dad jumps on you."

"Point taken."

Naruto turned to his mentor. "So where were you said we're heading after training?"

"It's a modest town. Not much to tell about it, since we're going there to stock up supplies."

(Well, I'm not letting him get his paws on my frog wallet this time!) Naruto thought as he re-sheathed his kunai.

"I also got a friend there who might know something about Sasuke." Jiraiya added.

(Hopefully not another stupid excuse to go partying with the dames in town all night!) Naruto sarcastically thought as a response.

--------------

When they arrived the two travellers found a town in uproar.

They could almost feel the high-strung tensions in the air as they entered. The blue-eyed, blond boy could pick up muttering and whispers about a bank robbery while suspecting eyes observed them as they explored the city.

"Something tells me that something really bad's happened here," Naruto said to his companion.

"Not our business," Jiraiya shrugged in indifference.

(Sometimes I wish Iruka was here,) Naruto thought bitterly (he at least seemed to care more about others than Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei.) In his eyes his chunin-rank teacher was twice the man than the aloof Jiraiya and Kakashi together. Iruka had been one of the first who had seen him as a human being and had chosen to reach out with compassion and understanding. With Sarutobi, the third Hokage of Konoha gone, His hometown seemed emptier than before, now left with only one who'd truly welcome him with open arms.

(If it hadn't been for Iruka-sensei, I would have ended up as bitter and cruel as Gaara.)

His thoughts turned back to perilous adventures from the past. Gaara of the Sand Village had in many ways been a distorted reflection what he may have become hadn't the love of two people who cherished saved him from falling into darkness. Naruto knew that his fate could have easily been that of Gaara's. A fate filled with loneliness and madness festering like a cancer that had to be fuelled in the killing frenzy of blood and carnage. And the most bitter irony of them all was that like him Gaara was the living receptacle of an ancient and evil monster. The One-Tailed racoon/tanuki Shukaku, who with the power of a sandstorm could turn lands into desolate deserts where life would never return. He on the other hand had become the receptacle and prison of the Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox demon that seemed to be spawned from the depths of hell itself. A being who only brought death and suffering wherever it trod.

In his heart he hoped he had reached out to Gaara, making him realize that he wasn't as alone as he thought. That someone knew and understood what he went through all his life.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a cry ring out the street.

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Daring bank robbery! Millions stolen! Bank director refuses to reveal further facts!"

A paper boy was crying out in the corner to attract customers.

"I'll take one," said Jiraiya and flicked a coin to the boy.

"Thank you, sir!" the boy cheerfully replied and pocketed his earning while his customer walked away with a freshly printed newspaper in hand.

---------------

"Not much said here," muttered Jiraiya as he glanced through the headlines and got the part he was looking for.

They had simply strolled without aim along the many streets. Naruto had gotten a soft ice cream from a street vendor and was digging in happily smearing tutti-frutti pieces on his face.

As the passed a little café a rather mocking voice uttered: "Well, well! If it isn't one of the Legendary Three passing through my turf!"

The two turned seeing a man with a mocking smile waving at them. Not much could be said of him other than he was clean-shaven, wearing a clean business suit and that pitch black sunglasses concealed his eyes, while his unruly short brown hair appeared like it had been centuries since it had been combed.

"Brain!" The legendary ninja exclaimed in disgust.

"So you do remember me?" The man addressed as Brain answered with yet one of his mocking smiles. "Who would've thought that the high and mighty Jiraiya remembered insignificant little old me?"

Naruto beheld that Jiraiya hands were twitchingly clenching and unclenching like a machine and could see the tension and apparent signs of conflict on his face.

"You of all who know me should know that you're passing one of my posts, you primitive caveman." Continued the man in sun glasses and sipped his sake from a beer glass. "If I had my way that snake-eyed freak Orochimaru would have been drowned at birth and you would end up in zoo where you belong."

"Strong words coming from a man like you!" snarled Naruto's mentor.

"Go ahead and kill me then. Then at least ANBU would hunt you down like the animal you are and give you the death you so richly deserve." Brain mocked haughtily.

The man turned his head in Naruto's direction. "My, my! If it isn't little Naruto," his tone immediately changed from that to hostile to friendly.

"You know me?" Naruto looked confused at this stranger.

"Considering that I practically took care of you for two years when you were a baby."

Naruto tried to remember this stranger, trying to delve through the hazy memories from his early childhood. The experience of much pain and loneliness was there, but somewhere in the dark corners he remembered a kind voice and warm hands holding him and keeping him safe from the dangers of the world.

"Ba-Bain?!"

Brain chuckled, "To think that you called me that really brings up old memories."

He was about to say more, but didn't get the chance as Naruto tackled him, making the chair crash backwards. He recovered from crashing to the ground, Naruto smilingly embracing him in a hug.

"Bain! Where were you?!" A flood of questions erupted from the young boy.

"Hey, hey! Slow down a bit, Naruto!" Brain said and ruffled Naruto's hair a bit in a friendly gesture.

He straightened himself up, forcing Naruto to relinquish his hug on him. "Sit down a bit, Naruto and I'll try to tell you what I can without breaking my regulations." He then called for the waiter, telling him to give the boy whatever he wanted.

Minutes later Naruto was found seated in a chair, digging into a bowl of ramen and chugging down glasses of water.

"Believe me, I didn't want to leave you to fend for yourself when you turned three, but I had my orders and had no choice but to obey when I was reassigned here. That's all I can say for now."

They talked about those days before, the boy trying hazily to remember any of what the man told him. Naruto noted that he also wasn't telling him the full story. He quickly discovered that further inquiries about why he had left the Hidden Leaf Village was met with silence or attempts to divert the conversation.

"Ahem!" A voice grumpily interrupted. The two turned seeing an annoyed Jiraiya glaring daggers for being ignored by the man who slighted him and that his pupil was getting friendly with him. "It's nice that you've met a man you knew before, but we have to go now!"

Before Naruto got the chance to raise a protest - Brain did it for him.

"Do you mind, you barbaric primate?!" Brain met the glare of Jiraiya with a snarl of anger on his lips, his teeth clenched. "I was soon going to give you the assignment I was supposed to give you, even if I voiced that a crack squad of chunins are more reliable agents than you."

"Don't call-" Jiraiya was interrupted as a piece of crumbled paper was thrown into his face.

"Read it, kabuki reject, if you still know how to read." Brain said coldly to the shinobi who outranked him in station.

Jiraiya grunted and unravelled it, his face suddenly turning slightly pale as he noticed the writing of the higher-ups of ANBU as well as that of the Fifth Hokage, one of the few he considered his equal, Tsunade. One of other the legendary three ninja of Konoha whom he, Orochimaru and her were reputed as.

"Sit down, Jiraiya," Brain advised and shuffled a chair in his direction.

Jiraiya took the offer and sat down beside the others who were sitting at the table.

"Want anything? I could order you some sake with poison in it, if you wish?"

"Cut the comedy, Brain! What's this all about?!"

"Half-a-day ago the bank of this city was raided by assailants unknown-"

"I know that already," smirked Jiriya smugly. "I don't bother with small fry!"

"Maybe if you'll let me get to the point of it all, you won't be so unwilling to question the actions of our fledgling leader." Brain lowered his sunglasses and glared at the white-haired man with his earth-coloured orbs. "The fact is that one of the safety deposit boxes was destroyed and its contents stolen. **Contents vital to the safety of Konoha**. Maybe that'll get your attention?"

"What was stolen?" Jiraiya questioned with a piqued interest.

"A briefcase. What it specifically contains I cannot tell you, only that the documents inside could spell death for your hometown. Documents containing vital intelligence about the resources and logistics of Konoha and our allies, as well as the location the hundreds of hidden bank accounts spread over the continent containing riches that the Hidden Leaf Village has accumulated and hidden as emergency resources. There's also a certain list of names there. Names of our best agents who's infiltrated the societies of our enemies who are of critical importance now that we're barely rebuilding after Orochimaru's attack. And without them we would be delivered to our enemies, weak as Konoha is now is practically defenceless against a full-scale army assault

"Who's the idiot who put that thing there?" Jiraiya said.

"That 'idiot' as you put it was our Third Hokage, the revered and wise Sarutobi." Muttered Brain in response, "He counted that no one would guess that so vital documents would be hidden in an ordinary bank. And it worked for a long time until someone leaked out state secrets to persons unknown who now has them."

Brain pocketed his sunglasses and looked at Jiraiya. "Orders are simple. You are to investigate the case and get the briefcase back. If all else fails you must destroy it to prevent it from falling into wrong hands." He paid the waiter and made preparations to leave.

"Why me?" was Jiraiya's question.

"Because you are the most powerful shinobi here. With our best operatives spread thin and on guard for attacks from other hidden villages we are forced to rely on you and Naruto to get the briefcase back by any means possible. Get to the bank and question the manager and see what you can find while I get in touch with headquarters."

He turned to Naruto, "Don't worry, Naruto, we'll do some catching up later…" Brain then walked away disappearing behind a corner.

--------------------------

Several feet up in the air, inside the war zeppelin the Last Laugh, a scream echoed throughout its interior.

"What now?" groaned Boreas in annoyance. He had just been in the middle of a card game with Paratrooper and Buzz-Saw to kill time while their henchmen steered the ship. To think that he was just learning the rules and how the game worked when some idiot interrupted him!

Into the bridge rushed a disgruntled, dripping wet Soundwave clad in only a towel. "Who turned off the HOT WATER?!" she roared.

A hearty chuckle behind her was heard. "All right, I admit it, it was me."

"You!" Soundwave turned around facing the smirking Surge who stood there with his arms crossed.

"You won't be laughing when I burst your eardrums and leave you wailing in pain!" She snarled and reached for the speaker surgically grafted on her arm.

"Let's see you try it, Setsuko, I've never had the opportunity to kill a girl before!" The metal arms burst with electricity, the air crackling around them. A death grin, promising a fight to the death appeared on his face.

"Stand down!" An imperious growl erupted from the throat of a snarling Boreas. "Or face me!"

The two stopped in their tracks and beheld their leader risen from his chair with his arms pointed right at them.

"As long as I am the leader I will tolerate no infighting! Those who disobey will meet swift death!"

The two knew that their leader meant it. He could and would destroy them without a second thought if they ever broke the peace among the group.

------------------

Hours later a large diagram of a building was displayed on the map wall of the bridge.

"As we all know," Boreas began, "Our efforts at the bank rewarded us with five million in money as a bonus." His pointer pointed at the building on the diagram. "This small bank that's situated in a coastal town of no special significance, according to my sources, is estimated to have two million in bills in its only safe and a pathetic security." He then addressed the rest. "My proposal is this. That we loot this place to further enrich ourselves."

A hand was raised.

"Yes, Buzz-Saw?"

"Won't the master object to this?"

A fiendish smile appeared on their leader's face. "Do not worry, my careful colleague. The master gave us the green light to amuse ourselves one final time on our way to him. As you all probably know we'll probably fly over this place anyway, since it lies in our route."

"Money makes the world go round - so I'm in!" Surge declared.

"Hmph! Might as well get some practice with trying out the nitroglycerin in the armoury." Paratrooper muttered in indifference.

"Well, a girl like me could certainly need a little more cash to further my expensive tastes." Soundwave said with a foxy smile.

Buzz-Saw still had the look of doubt. "Suppose anything goes wrong? What then?"

"We can handle whatever the world throws at us, Buzz-Saw," Boreas reassured him. "I would worry more for those who cross our path instead."

"You kind of forgot that you promised to stop by another town for some rest and relaxation." Interjected the second-in-command.

(Damn!) Boreas thought and slapped his forehead. (I forgot about all that with the heist and all!)

"All right," he then uttered in slight defeat, "we'll make a two day stop before proceeding."

He just wished the rest would stop cheering and whistling.

------------------------------------

"It's beyond my wisdom how these bandits escaped without notice!" the bank manager exclaimed in self-loathing.

Naruto and Jiraiya who were seated before the manager's desk noted the distress of the bank manager seated before them. Jiraiya had somehow managed to arrange a meeting with the manager in his office having confirmed that he was really a citizen of the Hidden Leaf Village.

"They somehow blew a hole in the roof and destroyed the vault doors and made off with what Konoha had entrusted us and had the audacity to also rob us of five million."

"Did they use explosive powder like that used in fireworks?" the blue-eyed boy asked, even though his sense of smell had earlier told him that this was not the case.

"No. The baffling thing about this case is that they somehow used explosives stronger than those known of." The manager answered. A look of fear flashed on his face as he whispered: "They even killed the monster summoned to guard the vault! Its arm was chopped off and its body looked as if it had burned from the inside and cooked alive!"

Jiraiya whistled in impression. "There's few who can manage killing a kappa lord without dying. Even a certain serpent-eyed 'friend' of mine does not take those things lightly." The thought of himself feeding the traitor Orochimaru to a pack of these things for all the suffering he had caused seemed like something he would have in store the next time they would meet.

"What about the guards you had? Surely they had seen something?"

"They did," admitted the manager.

"I need to question them for details." Jiraiya then said.

"I'm afraid that it's not in my power. They are no longer of this world anymore."

"Were they killed?" Jiraiya looked sharply at the manager.

"No, they themselves committed hara-kiri to absolve themselves of the grievous dishonour for having failed in their duty." He further explained. "They were of a hidden village where honour is valued above all and all shinobi are instilled with it from initiation. That they failed when it mattered the most was a sharp blow to them and nothing could make them change their minds."

Jiriya swore crudely in anger over the news. Naruto looked a little pale, surprised that in this time there were still people who practiced this tradition.

"But before they went on with the ceremony, they did pass information that may be of some help." The manager said, opening a drawer and pulling out a sheet of paper. He handed it over to the legendary ninja who took it with interest.

"Never saw him before," Jiraiya said as a he saw a sketch of a face he never saw before.

"His forehead protector plate was unmarked," noted the manager. "Somehow he managed to get past our security system and managed to swiftly neutralize the guards having surprise on his side. The jounin tried to sound the alarm but discovered that the alarms had been cut before he was knocked out."

"Two chunin and one jounin," Jiraiya murmured. "That's pretty impressive, even if he had surprise on his side."

"From the evidence left behind the security teams could only conclude that the intruder came through the ventilation shafts."

"That's pretty easy - even I could do that!" Naruto said.

"Not when those ventilation shafts are littered with lethal death traps." The manager said coldly to the boy who had interrupted him. "Death traps that have so far served as a reliable tool of security against skilled thieves and shinobi."

"Either he was very lucky or he somehow knew of the traps." Jiraiya guessed.

"True." The bank manager said and began to wipe his forehead with a handkerchief. "What I fear is that someone who knows of our security measures is either a mole or a double agent who has sold vital data to the underground."

"What about the others of this group?" Jiraiya inquired.

"There's little to be said due to the fact that the sentries didn't get the opportunity to see them, but judging from their handiwork my conclusion is that we are dealing with a renegade team comprising either of stray ninja or people without hidden village affiliations trained in the ninja arts."

"Hmmm…" Jiraiya closed his eyes in a thoughtful moment. "I guess we have to go through the Konoha intelligence archives shinobi and see what we can come up with."

He rose and tilted his head in the direction of Naruto. "Naruto, we're going now."

"Do we have to?!" Naruto protested. "These chairs are so comfortable!"

"Sorry, but duty calls us."

The two ninja departed from the bank grounds.

"I hope Brain's found something." Jiraiya said to his companion. "The style of this break-in doesn't fit with either Orochimaru's style or Itachi Uchiha's patterns. And I certainly don't think our little runaway from Konoha, Sasuke Uchiha is involved in this. "

"Do you think the Akatsuki's behind this?" Naruto asked.

"While there may be the possibility of this being the work of Akatsuki agents, I personally doubt it. The Akatsuki is a secret cabal, a shadow organization of professional cold-hearted assassins, and so far they prefer to operate from behind the shadows. The Akatsuki would have used more subtle methods."

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After almost half an hour had passed and Jiraiya and Naruto had arrived in front of a house that had seen better days. Some of the windows looked like they hadn't been washed in a long time. The uncut grass had sprouted like weeds.

Most of this didn't bother Jiraiya as he rang the doorbell and then seconds after that rapped four times on the door.

The door opened slightly.

"Password." A voice said in a gruff manner.

"The black lotus blooms under the light of the moon, And death lurks in the shadows like a venomous serpent waiting for its prey" Jiraiya answered.

(What kind of sick _BLEEP_ makes up these passwords?! A reject poet?!) Was the thought going through Jiraiya's head at the moment.

The door was opened revealing Brain. "Get inside," he said simply to the two.

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"While I was never the traditionalist, I hope that the accommodations here are suited enough for both of you." Brain said.

Despite not being very tidy the town safe house for Konoha operatives, seemed to be in order.

Jiraiya were seated on a couch with a wooden table in front of them, facing them was Brain sitting in his armchair.

"Let me guess," Jiraiya then began, "you were the one who made up that cheezy password."

"How on earth did you know," Brain said mockingly.

"You have a fondness for melodramatics, and that password just had to be cooked up by you."

"So, at least I don't spend my free time wenching and swilling alcohol like you always do when you enter towns." Was Brain's calm response. "Too bad it wasn't you going renegade instead of that snake Orochimaru: at least he has a brain and knows how to use it." He added patronizingly, venom deliberately coating his every word.

"You!-" Jiraiya almost shot up from the couch as veins on his began to show.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

"You're overstepping your boundaries, jounin!" The older assassin growled.

"I know my station, sannin - it doesn't mean that I have to accept it and grovel before you like a spineless dog."

"Just get on with the briefing before I decide to teach you your place."

Brain began: "ANBU intelligence division called and for some reason it seems that the group we are dealing with are not in the registry, nor in any file or archives classifying our greatest threats. But judging from the rumours gathered by some of the most reliable agents our network has the underworld's been getting some new serious players in the field. A gang of soulless cutthroat are said to be in the possession of the lost science of flying and that they have flying machine at their disposal."

"Flying machine?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes filled with curiosity. As a child he had once heard of legends of the skies of the world once filled with marvellous machines, allowing man to ride the skies with ease. Once dreaming of flying far away; somewhere he would not be shunned and despised.

"Yes," said Brain, "It seems like the ancient science of aviation thought long lost to us all has been rediscovered by someone of exceptionally keen mind. My contact's superior speculates that these renegades serve as agents of this formerly unknown figure."

"Considering that these people are blank sheets to ANBU these upstarts aren't S or A rank material." Jiraiya snorted.

"You'd be surprised how even the mightiest of assassins can be felled by those thought beneath them." Brain retorted dryly. "We are not invincible demigods, even if fruitcakes like you and Orochimaru act like you are."

"What is it with you and all that talk about me and Orochimaru!?" Jiraiya erupted and rose, towering the lower rank assassin.

"Maybe it's because you neglect your responsibilities, while others do their duty!" Brain raised his voice a pitch higher, baring his teeth. "While all us others have do all the dirty work for ya even if we hate it!"

"Don't talk to me about responsibility, Brain! You don't have the right to preach about responsibility at all!" Jiraiya roared.

Naruto looked worriedly at the two, fearing that in seconds they would kill each other.

(I've got to stop them before this gets out of hand!) he thought.

"Bain," Naruto said "Bain, please stop it." The boy looked at the man with pleading eyes, asking him not to do something he would regret.

The boy's words seemed to reach him. With a strained effort Brain calmed down and let go of the handle of his sheathed dagger.

"You're right, Naruto," he said, and exhaled to calm down further. "

Jiraiya calmed himself likewise, propping himself down on the chair again nonchalantly.

Brain continued his report: "…After having bribed a reluctant but reliable source, our agent designated ZQ-2 found out that one of the favourite pastimes of this crew is robbing banks and using weapons far more advanced than any nation or state on the continent."

"Anything else?" The white-haired man's curiosity had been stimulated.

"In the underworld these people are starting to make a reputation for themselves. They may not be in the same league as the Akatsuki, but rumour has it that they have liquidated adversaries far more powerful than themselves and that around the continent they have been involved in at least four cases of black ops, along with espionage and sabotage."

"Is that all!?" Jiraiya burst out laughing. "From what I've heard so far from you and the intelligence division I bet I could take out these pipsqueaks without breaking a sweat!"

"Go ahead," was the dry remark flung back at him, "And take that degenerate Kakashi with you, so that I can dance on your graves after this is all over."

Brain the found a muscular hand gripping him forcefully at the throat while the other hand started forming the swirling energy vortex of the Rasengan.

"I could kill you!" snarled Jiraiya as he brought the swirling orb inches away from Brain's chest.

"What a coincidence, so can I!" Brain managed to choke out as his hands pressed his dagger against Jiraiyas muscular throat. "And I don't even need fraking mumbo jumbo to do it!"

"I'm faster than you think!"

"And did I mention that my dagger is coated with the venom of the king cobra and I need only to make a teensy-weensy cut to turn you into a frothing corpse twitching on the floor."

"STOP IT!!!" Several voices screamed at once, and suddenly the two men found themselves yanked apart and restrained by numerous Narutos with eyes blazing like blue balefires.

The man known as simply Brain found himself face-to-face with Naruto himself. "Bain! What in heaven's name do you think you're doing!?!" The whisker-faced youth's accusation rung home as he witnessed the man in front of him shocked back into reality.

Brain looked down at the floor to avoid Naruto's eyes. "I know most of the stuff that happened to you, kid," he whispered partly to himself and partly to the boy. "And believe me when I say that have my reasons to hate people like Kakashi and Jiraiya with all my heart."

He stared hatefully at Jiraiya, "Naruto deserves better than people than you and Kakashi around! All you've done so far is to let him down and betray his trust! To me you are just filth that needs to be scraped from peoples' shoes!" He spat out the last words with venom and as man who knew what hurt and betrayal meant.

"That's a lie!" exclaimed Jiraiya in anger.

"At least I'm not some honourless swine who resorts to deceiving children for their money, **sannin!**"

"You know nothing of honour!" the older assassin roared back.

"No," he hissed, "It's guys like you who never will understand what courage, sacrifice and honour is truly about! You preach about honour yet have none!"

"You've spent too much time among the gaijin!" Jiraiya accused hotly, venom in his words as he uttered the word for foreigners.

"Maybe it's because when I dwelt among them than my own kind I learned what it really meant to be free." Brain said calmly.

Somehow the words seem to have shut the more experienced and powerful assassin up.

"Now then, onwards to the mission." Brain said reverting to a more professional persona, "This will be a top secret s-rank mission code-named operation reclaim. Your mission is simple: Either retrieve the documents or if necessary - destroy them to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Officially this mission never took place and Konoha will deny any knowledge of your existence if you are killed or captured."

The word s-rank mission seemed to ring a bell in Naruto's head, taking his mind temporarily off the apparent enmity between the two older ninja.

Brain continued with his briefing: "The strategic office of ANBU or the SOA has gathered intelligence that the enemy plans to strike a coastal bank in a few days; with SOA calculations we have narrowed down the list of banks to a handful. From reports of other unsolved bank raids the targeted banks are in possession of large amounts of capital and that they tend to play careful by selecting banks with fragile security. And the higher-ups have come to the decision that one bank has the highest chance of being the main target."

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When Soundwave woke up the smell of incense greeted her. She lay in a large luxurious bed with a bed sheet covering her unclothed body. Around on the bed lay strewn four beautiful young men sleeping heavily.

On the floor and on drawers and tables lay scores of drinking cups and bottles of sake and foreign wine and large amounts of exotic fruits.

"By the wind dragons, my head feels as if it's about to fall off!" She muttered to herself.

"You didn't seem to be the type to squander away your newfound wealth on beautiful men and wine to me, Setsuko." A known voice said in the background.

"Boreas!" the white-haired girl growled and swiftly covered her naked form. "How did you get in here?"

"I did learn a thing or two when I was working undercover as an apprentice locksmith," her leader said with an amused smile and waved a set of lockpicks in his hand.

"Dammit! I've told you to stop calling me by my name!!"

"Does it embarrass you? Your name?" the brown-haired youth questioned with a sardonic smirk on his face.

"No." was the frank answer he received. "I just don't like it when a guy whose name I don't know calls me by my real name."

"Did you even bother to ask what my name is?" Boreas inquired.

Soundwave took on a thoughtful look. "Now that I think about it, I kind of guess that I wasn't interested in prying into peoples' pasts. So what is your name, if I may ask?"

"Weizhe. Weizhe Tong." Boreas said simply.

Soundwave whistled. "Should've guessed that you weren't from around here from the start, Weizhe."

"I tend not to show that since I am a loner by choice and that it keeps things quiet." He explained. "I am but a humble scholar dabbling in ancient and terrible secrets who harnesses the many forms of science for my own purpose."

He got a pillow thrown in his face.

"More like an arrogant know-it-all if you ask me. And didn't your mother teach you that it's improper to pester a lady who's in a state of undress?"

"Many pardons then, fair maiden," Boreas bowed half-mockingly with a smile. "I shall be off then! And don't forget to get prepared for our bank visit in a few hours."

He strode out the door, closing it.

"Is it just me or does that jerk act like a schoolboy with a crush who's too proud to admit it?!" Soundwave muttered to herself.

Around her, her company began to stir and awaken.

"Rise and shine, my pretties," she said simply with a sardonic smile on her lips and stroked one of them on the back like a pet.

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"C-c-cold!" Naruto whined in complaint as the eastern winds chilled him. He huddled himself into a corner.

"Good thing I brought this along!" He then cheered and produced a steaming cup of newly prepared ramen.

The boy then got a bop on the head, courtesy of Jiraiya, who then proceeded to grab the cup and fling it from the roof top.

"Hey!" Naruto protested.

"Moron!" Jiraiya growled. "The steam from the ramen would've given us away!"

"I just think you did that 'cuz you're a mean old man." Naruto frowned, closing the slits of his eyes and crossing his arms in protest.

Jiraiya gave off a dismissing snort.

"Why couldn't Bain come along?"

"Because that guy would only get in the way," the sannin growled. "Now shut up!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The Last Laugh descended from the skies.

"Why can't we just jump down from the entry hatch?" argued Buzz-Saw as he descended the rope ladder after his leader.

"Maybe it's because we are above such theatrics, Buzz-Saw. I prefer doing it the ordinary way." Boreas said critically. "Besides why risk breaking my arms and legs when I can climb down safely on our trusty rope ladder instead of ending up a cripple."

Minutes later they found their feet fully planted on the roof.

"I like what we've been doing lately, Boreas. Robbing banks is a piece of cake compared to messy assassinations or taking part in some government conspiracy."

Boreas said: "Maybe because it's less risky than most things we do."

"I wouldn't count on that!" An unknown voice suddenly mocked.

"Frak!" Boreas swore and reached for his shuriken pouch.

A spiky and white-haired freak that seemed to have been refused by all the kabuki theatres in the region appeared from the shadows. A blond youth in an orange ninja suit faded from the shadows beside him.

"Frak! They're fraking Leaves!" exclaimed Buzz-Saw when he got a good look on their headband plates.

"Leaves that need to be raked and burned!" Boreas joked grimly.

The lower hatch of the airship opened mechanically and rope lines were hastily lowered; seconds later three figures slid down the ropes.

"Well, well," Paratrooper whistled, "it looks like we got ourselves a welcoming committee, gang!"

"Let's see if they are up to the task to take us head on!" Soundwave wisecracked.

"Or if they'll live long enough to regret it!" Surge added with a sinister grin.

"Heard of the legendary leaf sannin, Jiraiya," the white-haired man said, "'cuz you're standing right in front of him!"

"What am I, chopped liver?!" his companion complained.

"I would guess either the sidekick or the comic relief guy, kiddo!" Sounwave taunted.

"And you two just signed your own death warrants - for the **Nightraiders** never back off from a mission!!!" Boreas shouted in defiance.

_To be continued…_

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**When Ninja Clash!**

It's an all-out assassin vs. assassin battle as Naruto and his mentor take on these new adversaries. Will their powers be enough to tip the scales in their favour? Can the Nightraiders stand up to these two?

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Author comments.

Hehe, I hope I've kept most of the canon characters in-character enough, dear readers. Some of you will probably discover that some of this will probably have a badly patched mixture adventure/horror theme of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft and Sax Rohmer in it.

And if you wonder about Boreas, let's just say I wanted to use Asian names from other countries that aren't Nippon.

Don't expect too many new ultimate super-jutsu that can blow holes into mountains in this fic. I'm thinking more on the line of super-science and secrets man was not meant to know.

If any of you reader's watched Escape from New York, you'll probably where some names came from.

Frak is a swearword from the new Battlestar Galactica series.

And if this is the worst Naruto fanfic ever written - tell me so that I can continue to torment you.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. This is just a piece of fanfiction meant to thrill readers with weird tales and horrors.

_As a child he discovered the grim secret revealing the truth for being an outcast. Being finally admitted as a genin despite all odds he has braved many perilous adventures and bested many dangers in this strange and savage world. Betrayed by one he considered a rival and friend, he now travels the continent with a new mentor, preparing himself for the dangers to come._

Chris Oddland presents: Naruto: The Hidden Years

Chapter: 2

When Ninja Clash!

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"And you two just signed your own death warrants - for the **Nightraiders** never back off from a mission!!!" Boreas shouted in defiance.

(I've heard tales and rumours about this punk! Despite looking like a clown he's as dangerous as they come!!) Boreas thought.

"As the challenged party - it is fair that I take the initiative!" he cried out and flung three throwing stars at his foe.

Jiraiya with a snort of contempt deflected the metal missiles easily as if swatting a fly away.

(Sucker!) Boreas grinned and raised his arms and braced himself.

"Zankuha!"

The blast of air struck with the force of a hurricane. Jiraiya, with all his years of battle, easily dodged it - but not Naruto!

(Shit! He's trying to blow us off the roof!) The words rung through Naruto's mind as he lost hold of his footing and was swept backwards.

(Got to get hold of the edge!)

Seconds from death the boy grabbed hold of the rooftop ledge, holding onto his bare life as the winds of death threatened to sweep him to his doom.

As abrupt as the force of wind appeared, it ceased within seconds.

"My compliments, young one," the young brown haired man said with a wicked smile, "for one so young it is impressive that you should survive my first assault."

(What the heck is going on?! This guy has the same powers as Zaku!) Naruto thought in surprise.

"You should never leave yourself so open!" Jiraiya roared out from nowhere and appeared only seconds from the brown-haired man.

A blow to the stomach flung him off-course! Yet Jiraiya didn't even flinch as he by instinct rolled backwards and vaulted himself up again.

"Foolish oaf! Do you take me for an amateur?" the brown-haired man said simply with open contempt as his two rescuers stood in front of him, blocking Jiraiya from his prey.

"When you attack one of us - you attack us all!" the muscular bald man called out.

The muscular black-haired man beside him nodded in agreement. "That's right, fancy pants! We always watch each other's backs!"

"Keep him on his toes, men! Don't give him a chance to make any fancy hocus-pocus" The brown-haired one acting as the leader ordered.

With action born from the battlefield the two men charged the sannin without fear.

Jiraiya gave a cold contemplating gaze and reacted by belching forth balls of flame and simultaneously started flinging throwing stars with cold precision. Most of the shuriken missed, but a few struck the three. The brown-haired who appeared to be the leader gave a cry of pain when he jerked his head backwards and a shuriken cut his lip. The two others used their metal arms to guard their head and chest as they ran towards him. Zigzagging they narrowly avoided all of the fireballs, even if burns and singes appeared on them.

"You should scram, yellow-hair. It's the big league now." The woman with the white hair said to Naruto.

"Oh, yeah!?" Naruto replied and threw several shuriken at her.

She reacted with cat-like grace by ducking, throwing stars missing her narrowly while she deflected a handful with a metal object grafted on her arm. Metallic clangs echoed as the metallic darts reflected against metal.

"You're throwing skills pretty good," she wisecracked and grasped two kunai in each hand. "Want to try mine?" Her face took a look of concentration as she simultaneously threw both throwing daggers at him.

Naruto jumped back, evading one kunai while the other nicked his shoulder. A look of horror appeared on the boys face then turned into rage. "Hey - that was my favourite ninja suit?!?"

Another kunai nicked his other shoulder.

"I'm sorry! Did I break your concentration?" she said with a mocking smile.

Naruto responded by crying out in anger and charging her with drawn kunai.

"C'mon, whiskerboy." Let's see what'cha got?"

---------------------------------------------

"Cripes! Keep the noise down!" Paratrooper complained as he strolled down into the bank carrying a suitcase and a sack while the roof and walls shook plaster. (These losers were so busy fighting the others that they forgot about me!)

He browsed through a small sheet of paper.

"I should remember to tip our informant network, seeing that they got all the details right about the security of this place. But seeing that there really is no time to properly disconnect everything, I might just as well put some use for my hardware."

He lowered the suitcase on the floor and opened it, revealing several secured sets of hand-sized vials. Paratrooper grinned.

"Never liked nitroglycerine," he said to himself and without wincing threw some hand-sized vials at a pair of security cameras. As the objects connected an explosion occurred. "It's too unstable and vulnerable to physical shock compared to dynamite and cases of TNT." He threw one at a control panel that was instantly destroyed by an explosion. "I'm glad that we're finally ridding our armoury of this dangerous junk." Series of alarms were destroyed within seconds. "When we're back I'll suggest that we all do some more demolition training or just use our nitroglycerine storages to make dynamite."

Arriving at the designated safe of his ignoble quest he nonchalantly went to work. Packing all the remaining few vials but one in front of the safe he then stepped back and threw the last vial at the others. After the following explosion he walked over to the severely damaged safe door and proceeded to pry it open with his kunai.

"Jackpot!" he said and started to fill up the sack with money.

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"How pathetic!" the black-haired assassin called out in challenge to Jiraiya "For all your vaunted power you still can't seem to beat people with genin ranks!"

Jiraiya the legendary assassin grit his teeth. "It's gonna take more than two metal-armed freaks to take me down!"

His two opponents had kept him off-balance as he finally engaged them in hand-to-hand combat. He clearly was the superior of the three, but the fact that the two fought like a team and experienced fighters made them a match for him. He had given them more than he had taken, but still they wouldn't give up.

"And besides you hit like sissies compared to my buddy Tsunade!" He dodged a blow from the bald guy and jumped away from a sweeping kick from the black-haired one as if his two opponents were minor nuisances not worth his time.

"Never met the woman!" replied the bald one and dealt out three punches while his team mate opted for a flanking attack at the sannin.

As Jiraiya attempted to jump back for some space, throwing stars forced him to dodge.

"Remember that he's dangerous!" the brown-haired thrower barked. "Give him time and he'll whip out a summoning jutsu or something nasty!" He forced himself to ignore the gash on his lip, using his adrenaline to the fullest to concentrate on the fight at hand.

"Three against one? That hardly seems fair?" Jiraiya taunted as he blocked another attack and narrowly dodged another.

"You seem to forget that we are assassins. We are not bound to the code of sportsmanship. Our lot is murder in the shadows. Unlike fools like you we embrace this reality while you delude yourself to be some sort of hero." The brown-haired one said while he and the others circled the sannin, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

As Jiraiya prepared for a hasty jutsu, he was interrupted by a three-way attack.

(Damn! They're fighting like a team! Using their numbers to their advantages and covering each others' weaknesses while attacking!) Jiraiya was sweating as he drew a kunai. He steeled his leg muscles and propelled himself into the air and responded with a barrage of shuriken.

---------------------------------------------

"Heh! Almost got me there, blue-eyes!" retorted the white-haired girl as she propelled herself in the air and avoided Naruto's sweeping slash. She returned the favour by responding with a kick that the boy blocked with his other arm. The girl instead of falling to the ground with a fall acrobatically slammed her hands on the ground and vaulted on her feet.

"Didn't your mom teach you not to do steroids before you got those whiskers?"

The blond boys answer was flinging a handful of throwing stars at her.

"Touched a nerve?!" she taunted as she rolled sideways.

---------------------------------------------

Jiraiya jammed his kunai viciously into the bald guy's arm as he rolled with a blow to his chin. Instantly he felt overwhelming pain as electric currents rushed through the metal limb and into his kunai.

He roared in pain as the other gave him a blow to the chest and knocking him sprawling to the ground.

"Surge's the name - and pain's my game!" the ninja said.

"And now it's up to Buzz-Saw to give the coup de grace!" The other continued with a sadistic grin as a saw-blade on his wrist began to whirl and clicked forward over his wrist.

As he was about to decapitate Jiraiya in one blow a kunai streaked at him. Reacting through instinct Buzz-Saw swung his arm around and deflected the dagger with a sweep of his saw-blade, sending sparks in front of him.

Naruto Uzumaki was rewarded for his intervention with a boot to the stomach by his female opponent.

"How noble of you, boy. You left yourself open to save your friend. Too bad I'm not a believer of 'fair play'!"

Buzz-Saw swiftly turned around and dealt out a blow at Jiraiya's unprotected neck. The now recovered Jiraiya responded by rolling out of the path of the whirling death and dealt out a sweeping kick that sent his would-be executioner crashing to the ground. Buzz-Saw narrowly avoided a kunai through the throat as he desperately deflected it with a sweeping saw blade.

"I admit that was a close shave." Jiraiya said as he sprung on his feet and started raining shurikens at his adversaries appearing as if he was totally unscathed.

"Zankuha!"

The sudden force of air flung the throwing stars back at him, forcing him to dodge his own weapons.

"Harm hatch, harm catch! I go by the name Boreas, sannin!" the brown-haired man declared.

"Doesn't mean anything to me!" growled Jiraiya.

"I thought so," Boreas smirked "the great Jiraiya proves to be nothing but an uneducated lout and a fraud like the rest of the Three."

It wasn't the words themselves that made the sannin's blood boil. It was rather the malicious intonation and insinuation of the young man in front of him.

The legendary assassin in his rage made the hand signs with inhuman speed and belched out burst of flame from his mouth.

"Bah!" Boreas cried out. "Your strategy's as transparent as glass!" He raised his arms anew and fired a blast of concentrated air. The force of the blast forced him backwards even if he held his ground. (Let's hope my hunch was right!!)

The flames flickered and died as the howling beam of force impacted against it, sending the throwing stars concealed within them spinning in all directions.

"If I'm not mistaken this was one of the strategies that felled another like me." Boreas chuckled.

Jiraiya didn't listen as he had to defend himself from the strikes of Buzz-Saw and Surge.

------------------------------------------------

"You're certainly know how to piss people off!" Naruto said to the white-haired young woman as he stroked his chin. "And you give a pretty mean punch!"

"You've seen nothing yet, boy! Feel the power of - Soundwave!" She raised her arm with the metal object grafted on it.

Naruto screamed as his head became attacked by sound itself, threatening to tear his skull apart and burst his eardrums. He fell to the ground and lay there twitching as the girl ceased her assault.

"That was just a foretaste of my power, blondie." Soundwave informed him in a voice coated in sweet but cruel venom.

Only after a few seconds Naruto stopped twitching and rose. "You held back." He said simply.

"Why, yes." She laughed at him.

It was a strain for Naruto to hear, feeling as if he had bells ringing pain in ears.

"You should be grateful that I spared you from the fate that usually befall those who cross my path. Wouldn't it be cruel to leave one so young with his eardrums burst, never to hear a sound again - not even hearing his own wails of pain?"

"You'll pay for that!" The blue-eyed boy with whiskers growled and began to hastily make hand signs as if he had done this pattern all his life. Chakra rushed from every corner of his body like a tidal wave.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" Naruto Uzumaki shouted.

Up to forty ninja appeared from around him.

"Let me show you what I can do for a change!" Naruto grinned.

"I guess it's time-" one shadow clone began.

"-to kick some butt!" another clone finished.

"What're you going to do next? Pull a rabbit out of a hat?" Soundwave asked amusedly.

"Charge!" One of the shadow clones barked and on command the shadow clone Narutos rushed as one at her.

Showing no fear the girl charged as well. In an instant she was among them fighting like a she-devil born from the fires of hell themselves. Several clones fell one after another from her blows while she blocked, dodged and even endured them blows that rained relentlessly on her. She vaulted over one Naruto and spun around and as she landed she grabbed another Naruto in a headlock, snapping his neck and dissolving him in a puff of smoke.

"My compliments!" She huffed with dignity even if her body was bruised and bloodied and her clothes torn in several places. With a cry of pain she ripped out a kunai jammed into one of her shoulders. "For one so young you are a formidable adversary."

-----------------------------------------

"You're in for one helluva haircut!" Buzz-Saw said with his brown eyes filled with the joy of battle while his sawblades continued whirling.

Jiraiya looked with an irritated look as he easily dodged the razor-sharp blows aimed at him and responded with a hail of shurikens at his two opponents. He suddenly sidestepped dodging a jumping kick to the back and gave out a vicious knife hand blow to the neck of the one calling himself Boreas.

Jiraiya emitted a short laughter of mockery. "Is that all you got?!" In that moment compared to his worn adversaries, the seemingly unharmed Jiraiya appeared more serious than before. His features becoming as unforgiving and sinister as that of a war god of the mysterious and cruel east ready to rain death upon some insignificant upstarts. "It's time to take out the heavy stuff!"

As the legendary assassin was about to quickly bite his finger, Surge grabbed his arm and without effort swung around and threw him.

Jiraiya swiftly grabbed the ledge and vaulted back onto the roof.

"Uh-uh!" Boreas tisked and waved his finger while nursing his neck with his other hand. "Can't have you summoning any giant frog-faces today, now can we?"

Jiraiya reacted as both Surge and Buzz-Saw charged. Avoiding the deadly embrace of Surge, he jammed a kunai hilt-deep into Surge's shoulder and gave out a vicious kick to the solar plexus. He heard the man scream in pain and utter curses as he fell. He ran straight at Buzz-Saw, neatly dodging his whirling blades and delivered a well-placed blow to the chest, cracking ribs like they were rotten twigs. Making quick hand signs he slammed his open palm into Buzz-Saw's chest. Chakra surged from Jiraiya as a weird mark glowed began to glow.

Jiraiya look of triumph turned into one of shock as Buzz-Saw instantly sent one of his blades whirling. Only a swift jump back kept him from being disembowelled instantly.

"What madness is this!? That jutsu should have left you near-dead and unable to use your chakra"!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he ignored the blood flowing from the tiny gash near his stomach.

"My chakra was sealed away a long time ago." Buzz-Saw stuttered with a groan of pain as the blades stopped spinning and clicked back to place on his wrists. "Once I had hopes and dreams and arms of flesh and bone. They are gone now along with most of my humanity."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"…….Eanie….."

Soundwave dished out a roundhouse kick that sent a off-balanced shadow clone to the ground.

"…….Meany…"

Another shadow clone got a knife-hand blow thrust into his jugular.

":……Miney…."

She ducked and vaulted a Naruto off the roof ledge.

"……..Moe!!"

She slammed her speaker arm into the face of the real Naruto Uzumaki.

"What do you know? I really tagged you!" Soundwave exclaimed.

"How did you know?" said Naruto while nursing his jaw.

She made a shrug: "Call it a woman's intuition…. Or that I just made a wild guess and got it right."

"Well let's see you dodge this!" the remaining shadow clones chorused while each of them held either shuriken or kunai.

"Yikes!" Soundwave cried out as the Narutos threw the sharp objects at her. In reaction she dove over the roof ledge.

"Did we get her?" A shadow clone said and peered over the edge. He got a kunai stuck up-under his chin before he dissipated in a cloud of smoke.

"Surprise! Surprise!" Soundwave grunted as she dragged herself up.

"How?-"

"I managed to grab a pipe in the nick of time and then it was a walk in the park to get back in action!"

She grinned savagely as she brandished her metal-grafted arm. "Time to liven up this place!"

A relentless bombardment of sound was sent crashing upon the Narutos. All of them began to scream as if razor blades where whirling inside of their ears. One by one, the shadow clones dissolved until only Naruto remained.

"You're pretty cute!" Soundwave said as she picked up Naruto by the front of his jumpsuit. "But I'm not really into children."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jiraiya's face twisted to a face filled with anger. Despite showing that he held back in order to avoid destroying the building and avoid getting Naruto in the crossfire of his jutsu, they still seemed crazy enough to fight him. Not even Itachi and Kisame had been such fools!

"As you see we're still not dead yet, Jiraiya!" Buzz-Saw gasped while nursing his damaged ribs.

"And we know that'd be suicide to take you head-on unless we had some form of advantage over you." Boreas added. "Splitting you two up was a good plan to prevent you from utilizing some of your more destructive jutsu. And it was easy to guess that the Fire Country wouldn't like it if Konoha's goons went around wrecking everything."

"Hmph! Fools!" Jiraiya shouted out as his hand gathered drops of blood preparing to summon Gamabunta, the Toad Boss in a heart beat.

"Catch!" a female voice screamed. A barely conscious Naruto crashed into his back.

Jiraiya fell on his knees.

"Damn you!" Naruto managed to stammer out to the woman.

Neither he or Jiraiya noticed the small metal canister rolling slowly towards them.

"Naruto look ou-" Jiraiya was about to cry out as the misty vapour spewed out from it and enveloped them in its tendrils.

Soon all they saw was darkness!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why waste time getting your hands dirty when a handy-dandy sleep gas grenade can get the job done." Paratrooper grunted as he dragged a fully loaded sack behind him.

Boreas, Buzz-Saw, Surge and Soundwave were in serious of a change of wardrobe. Their jumpsuits were torn, singed and cut as well as spattered with blood.

"Good work, team." Boreas complimented as he placed his foot on the fallen sannin's chest, "Call in the mechano men and tell them to collect this upstart dynamic duo! I've got some serious plans for them."

The zeppelin slowly landed on the bank roof. A hatch was lowered and out with metallic steps came a group of mechanical automatons formed in the shape of humanoids.

"I sure hope two million's worth it for busting those motherfrakers!" Soundwave said as she held her hand over a bleeding gash made by a kunai blade. "They were dangerous! More dangerous than the average ninja!"

Without a word the mechanical servants gathered their unconscious captives carrying them silently into the zeppelin while only the clanking of their metal feet was heard.

"Fraking son of a fraking bitch!" Surge complained as he ripped the kunai out from his shoulder. He emitted a growling cry of pain. "Soundwave's right, it'll take days, maybe weeks before most of us are in shape again."

"We've overcome people like Jiraiya before, and even then we ended up broken and battered, feeling death's breath on our necks. I'm just lucky that I'll only get a scar from this cut on my lips."

"Speak for yourself:" Buzz-Saw answered acidly. "You're not the one with broken bones and bruises."

"Let's get going!" Paratrooper called out from the hatch. "This backyard brawl's sure to attract some pests!"

The Nightraiders didn't need to be told twice as they hastily boarded their craft. The hatch was closed and the Last Laugh took off once again.

A mist created by justu covered the zeppelin as it flew away from the bank.

_To be continued…_

---------------------------------------

**Island of Death!**

What strange horrors await Naruto and his mentor? What inhuman and insidious tortures will be inflicted upon the helpless captives? Will anyone come to their rescue?

----------------------------------------

Author comments.

I hope this chapter was action-packed enough for you guys who actually bother to read this fanfic. Many will probably disappointed that it wasn't filled with cheezy super jutsu a la DBZ, but then again I've got attitude problems with too overpowered characters.

My favourite ninja were Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe several years before Naruto came upon the scene. And they rocked even if they didn't have or need any fancy powers to take on their enemies.

My thanks goes to Andrew Joshua Talon for pre-reading this fic and advising me not to make my characters appear too overpowered and that I had to rework things a bit to make my own characters appear as the underdogs in this skirmish.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I never will. But if you enjoy fanfiction this thing might be entertaining.

_As a child he discovered the grim secret revealing the truth for being an outcast. Being finally admitted as a genin despite all odds he has braved many perilous adventures and bested many dangers in this strange and savage world. Betrayed by one he considered a rival and friend, he now travels the continent with a new mentor, preparing himself for the dangers to come._

Chris Oddland presents: Naruto: The Hidden Years

Chapter: 3

Island of Death!

--

"……Fortress….. Come in, Fortress…….. This is Javelin…….."

The old radio equipment was a sturdy model that seemed to have been made ages ago, but despite the ravages of time it could still be operated.

The man continued signalling into the metal microphone, while still listening intently after response from the headphones he wore through the static interference.

As he tried fine-tuning the frequency a voice responded.

"…This is Fortress… We copy, Javelin…."

He responded with the codeword given to most field agents of the Strategic Office of ANBU.

"Operator 5, you are clear... State your business…."

"Requesting urgent contact, with Fire Shadow….. I repeat - Requesting urgent contact with Fire Shadow……." He spoke the words calmly.

"Copy that, we'll switch over to the office, Javelin…." The radio operator back in the Hidden Leaf Village acknowledged.

After a few minutes of waiting, the self-confident voice of a woman came.

"This is the Fifth Hokage… I copy." Tsunade spoke.

"It's been over a week and still no sign from them."

"Do you think they are dead?"

"If they are - if Naruto's dead, then there will be hell to pay." Brain growled into the microphone.

--

_On a secluded island miles away from the coast of the Fire Country:_

In a dark dungeon Jiraiya was tied by his hands to a rafter in the ceiling, trying not to scream as the mass of wire-netting tightened around the trunk of his naked body.

"How do you like our wire jacket, old sannin? It fits perfectly doesn't it? Maybe it'll make you beg for the whip again?" Boreas mused. He then tightened the screws making the older assassin cry out a grunt of pain as his swollen flesh started bleeding as the mesh sunk deeper into his skin while a metal plate started crushing his chest and slowing his heart action.

"Stop it!" a young voice cried out in protest and the sound of struggling chains intensified.

A crack of a whip was heard and Naruto Uzumaki cried out in pain as the whip struck his face and dug itself deep into his chin before it withdrew. Blood started trickling from the newly made gash. Many such markings of malevolent caresses he had endured for hours that seemed like unending eternities where all he could do was scream in torment as the cracks echoed throughout the room.

"I suggest you hold your tongue, boy, if you don't want your back lashed to ribbons again." The white-haired woman calling herself Soundwave said sweetly and wickedly and licked the blood smears on the tip of her bull hide whip. The boy was an interesting specimen and curiosity drove her to see how long it would take for his wounds to heal from her whip and then start the torture anew once he recovered. She looked upon the boy's naked, exposed torso and savoured the scars she made upon this youthful body filled with vigorous life. Disappointment over these scars miraculously vanishing was soon replaced by curiosity by criss-crossing her captive with vicious marks with the demeanour of an artist working on her newest piece of art.

"Is it just me or are you really into little boys?" Jiraiya managed to gasp out mockingly. "Ever considered getting yourself checked in into the closest asylum to cure you of it with lobotomy?"

Boreas tightened the screws, making the sannin bite his lip and drawing blood, refusing to scream.

"Impressive!" Boreas said in blunt, cynical appraisal "Not many can hold out as long as you've done."

"Being an elite assassin he's probably been trained to endure torture." Soundwave mused. "He even tried to sweet-talk to me once, but I 'convinced' him it wasn't such a good idea when I whipped him into unconsciousness like a maniac and then forced him awake by treating his wounds with that special antiseptic you got that creates huge amounts of pain when applied to a wound.."

"You might as well give up, sweetie! You'll never make me talk!" Jiraiya gasped out.

"But my dear Jiraiya," Boreas scolded him like one scolds a child for a minor annoyance, "who ever said we were torturing you for business?" His lips formed into a smile. "This is pleasure!!!….."

He tightened the screws making the older man roar like a wounded animal.

"Ah!" Boreas sighed in delight, "Such sweet music to my ears."

He strolled over to Naruto. The whiskered boy's blue eyes shone with hate at his captor.

"Oh, I know, you'd love to kill me, little one," Boreas smirked and viciously grabbed his prisoner's cheek and forcing their eyes to meet.

Naruto looked at with defiance and with a forced grim smile said: "No, actually I'd love to stuff your arms and that head of yours up your butt!"

Grinningly Boreas shoved him into the wall. "I see that you still have that vigour that comes with youth. I shall enjoy breaking you and reassembling you to an empty shell of your old self."

The clank of metallic feet walking sounded and from a shadowy corner the cell door was opened.

The automaton was a creature of steel driven by science lost long ago. A tireless single red eye mounted on something that resembled a human head started illuminating that darkness around it. The bronze-painted thing held a report in its metallic hands.

"Anything new to report, A1?" Boreas said turning to the mechano man.

A metallic voice holding no human emotion was heard after seconds of silence. "The current observations have collected much data. The boy has been revealed to be in possession of vast amounts of chakra designated to be off the chart for a normal human being."

Receiving the report Boreas let his brown eyes wander through the information written down. "Very intriguing!"

"The master has taken interest in this subject and requests that a more thorough examination for his scientific studies to be held.

"Leave the boy alone or I'll-"

"You'll what, Jiraiya? Write one of your vulgar booklets you call literature?" the blond assassin calling himself Paratrooper mocked. "You can do nothing! Those shackles holding you dampen your ability to channel chakra, as you have learned since your captivity!"

"Looks like you have to come with us, kiddo!" Soundwave said with a sarcastic grin. "The old man can't save ya now – that's for sure!"

Paratrooper held the blond boy fast as Soundwave applied a large metal collar around his neck.

"This'll keep you from making any funny stuff with your chakra!"

"Frak!" Paratrooper swore and backhanded Naruto. "That brat bit me!"

Naruto crashed against the wall and remained still.

His captors proceeded to relieve him of the shackles around his hands and feet. The second the last chains fell the boy sprung to life again.

"Get him!" growled Soundwave and got hold of Naruto's arm as he tried to dart past her. Paratrooper swiftly assisted her and grabbed the remaining free arm.

"My, what a little beast you are," Boreas remarked and pulled out a syringe from a holster on his suit. "I think we should do something about it!" He chuckled cynically as approached the struggling, young captive and for emphasis squirted out a few drops of liquid from his tool. Naruto's look of hatred turned to panic as Boreas gripped his arm and plunged the needle into the vein he had chosen. He continued struggling for a few seconds until fatigue overtook him and his mind went suddenly blank.

"You never stop to amaze me," commented Boreas as he stared at the motionless, glassy eyes of the blond boy. With a simple gesture he closed them.

"Sleeping like a baby." Soundwave chuckled as she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Paratrooper, you lazy fool! Take him by the legs before I decide to let you carry him all by yourself!"

"I bid you adieu and look forward to breaking you in the future." Boreas mockingly jested to his other screaming and cursing captive as he closed the cell door behind him.

--

"At least the bones seem to be growing back properly," commented Surge as he continued reviewing the x-ray pictures of his own skeleton.

"Speak for yourself!" grunted Buzz-Saw who propped down on a medical bed while he set his eyes on his own x-ray report. "Even after ingesting all those painkillers I still hurt all over."

At least they were neutralized before that oversized frog could enter the scene."

"A pity actually – I was looking forward to vivisecting that goddamn ugly thing alive along with Boreas and the master to see what makes that plate of frog legs tick. And we'd have freezers full of frog meat to feed a dozen starving villages." Buzz-Saw answered with a clearly disappointed look on his face.

"Do you actually believe we could fit that thing right here in the medical facility?!" Surge said quizzically.

"No," was the blunt answer, "our island base is inadequately equipped to study such a specimen."

Buzz-Saw had noticed that his companion, since they had arrived at the outpost, had acted uneasy and fidgeting, despite attempts to conceal it behind a humorous façade.

"What's bugging you?" he inquired.

"This place, that's what." was the gruff answer returned. "I can't stand this place since I can't stomach our master's death chambers here. For emphasis he walked nonchalantly over to a speaker panel and fiddled with a set of buttons. The screams, groans and maddened laughter and sobs were let out for them to hear. They were not foreign to foes crying out and moaning in pain or in inhuman fear, but what made them shiver was the hysterical laughter sometimes overshadowing everything else heard.

"The Master's pets are unpleasant abominations."

"I agree," Buzz-Saw concurred, "only the deepest pits of hell could have spawned those things."

"Somehow we just have to feel sorry for those poor devils we caught sticking their noses in our business some weeks ago after we gave them to those things." Surge added.

"They were ANBU operatives, hand-picked and trained personally by that Kakashi guy, who according to his file, got an Uchiha eyeball transplanted successfully into his head to replace his old one. They and that one-eyed freak knew the risks they were taking." Buzz-Saw shrugged.

--

Chained to a metal slab the unconscious and now barely naked Naruto didn't notice the massive scope looming over him connected to a large machine or all the lights focused on him. Various electrodes had been placed on him and all clothing but his underwear had been removed.

Outside the room, separated by walls of reinforced steel and high density glass Boreas, Soundwave and Paratrooper were operating advanced machinery.

"Boreas, what the hell are you doing?" Soundwave muttered as their leader fiddled with the controls of a machine that had a microphone with a large line attached to it.

"It's a sound recording device. Scientists tend to utilize such instruments during experiments." Boreas explained as he switched it on and picked up the microphone before returning to his work.

"We are currently proceeding with the examination of the subject known as Naruto Uzumaki starting with basic x-ray examination and electrocardiograph and electroencephalograph monitoring." Boreas dictated. "The next phase will be a monitored body scan inspection of the currently unknown reason of high chakra capacity by bombarding the subject with various sources of radiation in order to start a thorough chakra monitoring and having the data examined by computers."

The machines began their tasks. The scope above Naruto came to life and started scanning him while the electrodes began to transmit information to the observation room.

"No apparent physical abnormalities observed in the skeletal structure, while the EEG and ECG display normal signs for heart rate as well as brain activity. Will proceed with a monitored body scan to measure current settings before beginning a deeper inspection of chakra measurement and retrieving data explaining the logical reason for subject's chakra and conclude what makes subject's body capable of holding such amounts without straining physical and mental health. As a safe precaution advanced x-ray scanners will continue to monitor skeletal structure to reveal if the examination takes any toll on bone structure or if any abnormal deformations or mutations take place."

More data was received to the ones operating and monitoring from the observation room as various screens proceeded to do their work.

"As expected from earlier reports the machines record that there are signs of an abnormal amount of chakra and traces of manipulation in form of seals meant to suppress or scramble chakra to prevent some levels of chakra manipulation..."

Boreas hand closed itself on the firm metal handle of a switch left untouched till now.

"Proceeding with the real phase of the test," he continued.

A reinforced panel wall swung outwards mechanically and several box-like shapes connected all to a steel crane appeared. With automatic precision the devices were positioned over the sedated boy.

As Naruto was bathed by radiation he suddenly awoke screaming with a bloodcurdling howl to whom his observers couldn't possibly come from a human throat. With a look describing animal-like desperation he tried to tear himself loose from the slab. But still the chains kept him in place.

"How the hell did he manage to do that?!" a startled Soundwave managed to gasp out.

"Good question," said Paratrooper, "since he did get a dosage that would sedate a full-grown man for hours."

"I can see why the master's curiosity wakened. The chakra readings are really unearthly for a kid his age. Increase the input," Boreas then commanded. Swiftly operating the machinery his fellow members started strengthening the bombardment of radiation on their helpless victim.

Seconds later they were rewarded with a demoniac howl, more vicious and primal than before. Flames erupted around the shackled prisoner turning the room into a burning inferno. Metal started melting, machines exploded into burning fragments. Naruto's face twisted into that of a feral, non-human creature as the flames raged.

"What has been discovered is incredible!" Boreas continued to calmly dictate. "All the readings are running wild! There are clearly signs of transmutation on x-ray readings while the ECG and EEG is having a field day! The chakra charts are truly amazing now!"

"Will you just shut up!" Paratrooper screamed. "the observation room is barely holding right now!" Flames crashed against the glass windows while the outer walls started glowing red hot from the heat.

"The observation room is holding, but now appears to be dangerously nearing the limits of its defences!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Soundwave roared viciously and tried to abort the experiment. One of her panels short-circuited and she barely got the time to duck as it exploded.

Despite the cries of his comrades, the man called Boreas stood there amazed over the information spewed out from his screens. He ignored the sounds of the strained machines as he continued monitoring the monstrous chakra energy readings. This mystery fascinated him since he knew that no human could possess so much power inside the frail, limited flesh of man.

"It's out of control!" he heard Paratrooper shout through the haze of his studying.

"**He's breaking loose!!**" was the desperate cry from Soundwave.

Boreas was suddenly snapped out of his self-inflicted trance and started aiding the others, desperately transmitting commands to the machines.

The flames and heat was becoming stronger and stronger by the second threatening to destroy the observation room and kill all those in it.

The alert started going off and the lights of the observation room were replaced by red lights.

"Keep your fingers crossed!" came out of Paratroopers mouth as he smashed the glass covering a button and pressed it. A thunderous explosion followed by the emergence of flames erupted as machines inside the observation room began exploding.

Panels opened around the room where the captive was confined in, revealing vents that proceeded to swiftly cover the room with anaesthetic gas. At first the gas didn't seem to do anything, but they began to see signs of sluggishness from their struggling captive and seconds later which seemed like a lifetime the total pacification of the boy was complete as he succumbed to the gas.

"Anyone lose an eye?" Boreas coughed while lying on the floor on his stomach.

"You'll be losing both if you don't move it!" growled Soundwave beside him as she wiped blood from the gash on her forehead, with clear signs of parts of her hair being singed.

The two were interrupted by the sight and sound of foam being sprayed out by a hose connected to a red cylindrical container. "Grab the fire extinguishers!" barked Paratrooper as he doused the burning remnants. Complying immediately the others grabbed nearby cylinders and exited the observation room and proceeded to put out the fires.

"And who was it who told us that dropping the water sprinklers here would save time and money, hmm?" sing-sang mockingly to her fellow fire fighter.

"Not now, Setsuko!" Boreas retorted as he sprayed a rather vicious fire in its centre.

"It's **Soundwave**, **schoolboy!"** Setsuko answered in irritation and ran out.

(Just great! She's probably leaving me to deal with this alone!) Boreas thought with a twitch in his eye. Someone then pushed him aside and started spraying streams of water at the fires.

"Maybe I should have moved into the city and taken up a job as a fireman after all," Soundwave smirked while operating the fire hose skilfully.

In the end it had taken time, but the fire had been vanquished. Burned, singed and bleeding from shrapnel Boreas, Paratrooper and Soundwave just lay there exhausted in the room where the fire began.

"What the hell is that boy!?!" Paratrooper managed to wheeze out as his green eyes were turned towards the unconscious boy.

Around the slab the boy was imprisoned in they all beheld a giant burn mark in the form of a vulpine entity sporting nine tails that sent shivers to their spines…

--

_1. day later..._

A small sailing vessel was nearing the island.

"I hate sailing!" Brain groaned as he steered it for the nearest shoreline. All those bribes and intelligence gathering in the underworld had finally paid off. And even one of Hatake Kakashi's ex-ANBU boys had started carrying a grudge against his superior after a failed covert mission years ago that turned him from a healthy young man with a promising career to a broken and bitter cripple for the rest of his life and had leaked information acquired through his connections to him about ANBU operatives disappearing from a mission gathering intelligence about a rumoured secret convoy containing materials meant for some unknown weapon from the Land of Waves during Gato's reign of terror that was never registered or mentioned in the files and documents procured from the business of the deceased. According to the last radio transmission heard from them they had discovered that the cargo had been delivered somewhere near the shores of Fire Country. And putting it together with the scraps scrounged from the underworld about shady deliveries in the same area agent ZQ-2 and the others from the SOA had measured a high probability to various islands miles away from Fire Country. The funny thing was the revelation that the dealings were made with a group that kept a low profile and paid handsomely for any piece of forgotten or newest technology available.

As the small vessel closed in on the island, its sole occupant failed to notice a spherical metal object covered with metal studs floating in the water lying in its path. Striking the thing a thunderous explosion followed, spreading wood, metal and splinters across the sea.

--

_A camouflaged watchtower._

Surge smiled as he looked through his binoculars.

"Those sea mines are one helluva piece of scientific wizardry." he mumbled to himself. "And if the mine didn't get him those sharks out there surely will!"

--

"Frak! Walked into that one like an amateur!" Brain cried out, spitting out salt water. He had somehow managed to survive the explosion without any serious injury and clung to a piece of floating wreckage and managed to grab a harpoon. He swore when he discovered that he was bleeding from sores from his body. Then he began to look left, right, backward and forward and made a chilling discovery.

"This is definitely not my day!" he said as beheld the sight of four fins approaching him rapidly.

He gripped his harpoon firmer than before.

_To be continued…_

--

**Escape!**

Will the captors discover Naruto's sinister secret? Horror on land and sea as Jiraiya suffers inhuman torture and Brain battles hungry sharks!

--

Author's notes:

I know this isn't exactly what I call a good chapter. Guess I've got to work on my rusty writing and narrative skills. Some of you will probably recognize a few references to popular old pulp magazines laid out in the earlier parts of this chapter.


End file.
